Most folks steeped in local, state and national politics for any amount of time aren’t really surprised by anything, least of all the cluelessness and gullibility of the uninformed (which can certainly include ourselves at times), and while I wish I could say that I’ve always supported the best candidate, and in the most efficacious manner, I can’t.

As such, this piece isn’t an indictment so much as it is musings and insight from someone who knocks on doors, chases absentee ballots, organizes events and grows weary in November, like many others, from having to psych herself up to do those things for candidates she either didn’t support, or who have [ultimately] revealed themselves to be the very thing we fight.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio didn’t do anyone any favors by endorsing Mitt Romney last week, least of all himself. In fact, all his endorsement did was make many of us consider that he is just like every other ambitious politician (shocker!), and as such, would have been much more helpful to the establishment & Mitt Romney – assuming that was his intent - had he stayed away from an official endorsement…

A group of us had the pleasure of hearing Senator Rubio speak a couple of weeks ago while he was in town touring with Ohio’s next Senator, Josh Mandel. He (Rubio) was everything I imagine my mother thought JFK was when she heard him speak…eloquent, passionate, handsome and seemingly too young to have the the common sense paradigms he professed. Oh yeah, I was going door-to-door for that one, but of course, as with all things Romney, that brief moment of resolve was ripped to shreds the moment Rubio endorsed him.

Why? Because Mitt Romney is the antithesis of everything Rubio so eloquently exalted…

The senator spoke about his parents naming hard work and perserverance as the path to live in the “nice neighborhoods” versus the necessity of lessening the position of someone who already lived there. He spoke about unconstitutional power grabs and crony capitalism at every level of government. He spoke about getting our fiscal house in order and the legacy of debt we are leaving our children. But it wasn’t just what he said, it was how he said it (read: I believed him). So, assuming that he’s in touch with the 75% of the GOP electorate who are “anybody but Romney,” why endorse Romney?

As is often the case, what I want the answer to be, is not necessarily what the answer ends up being, ha. But before I go there, let me state the obvious: It is especially difficult in this arena to see inside a man’s heart, namely because what comes out of the mouth is so often filtered and mangled, that it seldom reflects the speaker’s true belief system. There are a few [appreciated] exceptions of course, who facilitate our political discernment, ha. But for the most part, you’d have to follow a candidate around 24/7 to vet them as well as we should, and even if we avoided stalking charges, the best among us will still fall.

So, like the old WWII poster depicting a soldier throwing a grenade into battle, we elect someone, and as they are being sworn in, think to ourselves the same thing as the soldier: “God help me if this is a dud!”

What’s worse is being virtually certain going in that the candidate is a dud, or at least less of a dud if there is such a thing, than the previous one. The RINO establishment – which now sadly includes Rubio – continues to shove Mitt Romney down our throats, all the while expecting us to gleefully give them money, sweat equity and get out the vote efforts come crunch time. And hey, why not…they have been soooo gracious about our candidates…NOT.

The establishment’s past hostility to Rubio is just one of the many reasons I have a hard time believing that despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary and his ability to read, Senator Rubio genuinely believes that Romney is the best dud, er, candidate, for the job; genuinely believes that a race to the end of the primary season is bad for the party, ergo genuinely believes that endorsing Romney now, is what’s “best for the party,” and the nation.

Hard to believe because: 1) Romney has an atrociousrecord, and 2) No one appreciates or respects a coronation…not in America. If we did, this thing would have been over a long time ago.

So options weighing in more heavily are probably:

Winning must be put above everything else - which I don’t necessisarily disagree with in 2012, though I don’t define the election of Romney as ”winning.” “Slowing down the bleeding” perhaps, “Putting us on a slower path toward socialism,” sure, but “winning?” Uh, no.

The endorsement pulls in the Tea Partiers garnering [Rubio's] favorability to benefit Romney and the establishment RINOs – even though that presupposes that they are all mind-numbed robots…one of very things most Tea Partiers work to change within the general electorate.

He must look “reasonable” to the RINO’s…a “team player” so that as veep, or cabinet head, he will actually have an effectual role in policy (even though he’ll be overwhelmingly out-numbered by Massachussets-like moderates).

Look, most get why Rubio endorsed Romney; personally, I just wish he hadn’t. At the end of the day, I’m simply tired of voting against someone, vs. for someone who is going to advance the cause of liberty. Sadly, nothing that Romney has ever done as an elected official even remotely resembles that description. Too, many of us complain about the early primary states deciding the nomimee for the rest of us, so in the interest of consistency, why to do that to others? At least playing all 60 minutes of the game will allow people to have their voices heard until they see the writing on the wall.

But instead of letting the primaries play out, Rubio and all the others who have endorsed Romney have told us that they know better, and that it’s time to “fold ‘em.” With all due respect, they are wrong. No amount of time is going to change Romney’s record, nor is it going to reconcile him to the base. In fact, contrary to Senator Rubio’s thought process, things are going to get exponentially worse for Romney as soon as he becomes the nominee.

Why? Because the lamestream media is just waiting to unleash all the truths about Romney of which those who started vetting him in 2004 are well aware. Executive Branch tyranny. Big Government solutions. The FIRST coordinated assault on the Catholic Church. By the time all the talking heads realize that the electability of Mitt Romney has been a myth since 2008, it will be too late. In fact, now that I think about it, a floor fight might be the best thing for Romney, as it will lessen [his] expense to combat and the opportunity of the press to affect apathy among Karl Rove’s “beloved” independents. Still, they want that coronation…

Ya know, if Romney is the nominee, we may drag ourselves out of bed on November 6th, drink some coffee, roll our eyes as we drive past our polling location on the way to work; heave a heavy sigh at lunch as we drive past it again. Go back to work and spend the rest of the day trying to psych ourselves up to exercise one of the greatest rights we have. After work, we will force ourselves to drive to our polling location, park, walk past the salvo of poll workers and actually mark the oval next to a Republican socialist. Then many of us will take the following week off to shower and throw up…the entire freaking time.

That’s what the Republican establishment has done to sully the extraordinary privilege to exercise our right to vote, and by drinking the Kool-Aid, Rubio has contributed as well (et tu, brother?).

Now let’s pretend Senator Rubio didn’t endorse Romney & our nominee is decided right before or at the convention. This leaves us with the perception that Rubio – Mr. Tea Party – isn’t any happier about having a Republican socialist as the nominee anymore than we are…but as everyone had their say in the primaries, we must support the winner to the degree that our stomachs will allow. Instead of taking off the week after the election to scrub our epidermis w/an SOS pad, maybe we take off the week before, and work the 72-hour push…not against Obama, but for Rubio – assuming he’s veep – and the down-ticket races (which will help Romney).

The question is, will any amount of lackluster support help? History says no. But don’t worry, establishment RINO’s and pundits will NEVER blame Karl Rove’s ”beloved” independents if any losses are incurred, for there is at least one constant truth within this wayward, leaderless Republican Party: Conservatives will be blamed when they lose, and forsaken when they win.

4 Comments

Rose:

Good article, I share your sentiments.

As a long time observer of the US Senate by way of my weblog and discussion board, Repeal the 17th Amendment, I have noted that shortly after Rubio’s win he quickly became a conformist, a party follower. This is further supported through the observations made by the Tea Party folks in FL that posted to the Repeal the 17th discussion board a number of times. While he has been able to keep up the appearance of still being a TPer, cracks are showing. The most glaring was his support for the NDAA. Moreover upon closer inspection Rubio is someone who has limited legislative experince, and more importantly, life experience. My belief is that only those that have served and demonstrated significant legislated experience at a state level should be considered for the US Senate. While that’s not the end all, because both Portman and Brown meet that requirement, and both fail miserably, it is a start, which Rubio hasn’t established. (Yes there is a lot to be said for the wisdom of age over the exterior of youth.)

Maybe it’s time we got beyond this silly party politics. Republicans had the opportunity to make a radical change by nominating Ron Paul. Unfortunately, and to detriment of the country, they failed to take the moral courage needed and instead are choosing a man that can change roles faster than any actor. Right now there is a big question mark regarding Ron Paul. Rep Paul has said that he would not run as third party candidate. So then if this holds true then there is the opportunity to vote for the LP candidate and excellent former Governor of NM, Gary Johnson. Now while I am not a Libertarian, I have no problem voting for Mr. Johnson when Romney and Obama are the choices.

Republicans need to wake up and realize your ideals do not match those of the Republican Wing of the One Party. Make a difference, show some guts, but stop complaining and do something!

#1 Thanks Brian, & thanks for the info. I am embarrassed to say that I have not kept a close eye on Rubio. Rumor tells of an alliance b/w Romney & Paul…have you heard of it? That would truly baffles me, ha.

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